Friedkich adolf riciiter



w. RB. mm Hm GS TLN RI .M Annu I .S NIU M m. d 0 M 0 m Patented May15,1894.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEDRICH ADOLF RICHTER, OF RUDOLSTADT, GERMANY.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION 'Orming part of Letters Patent N0. 519,737, dated May 15,1894.

Application filed November 16, 1893. Serial No. 491,143. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH ADOLE RICHTER, a subject of the King ofBavaria, residing at Rudolstadt, a city of the principalty ofSchwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to reed valves for automatic musical instruments,and has for its object to improve and simplify the construction of reedvalves employed in the above described class of instruments. I attainthis object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a formof reed valve hitherto in use. Figs. 2 and t are views showing reedvalves mounted on a reed-box and having my improvement applied thereto.Fig. 8 is an elevation of a modification. Fig. 5 is a detail View of myimproved reed valve. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the guide-plate socalled. Figs. '7 and 8 are details hereinafter referred to.

The opening and closing of reed valves for automatic musical instrumentshas hitherto been accomplished, as shown in Fig. l, by

causing the points of the pivoted lever y supported by a suitable pivotoc and connected to the reed valves d, by wire 2, to be moved up anddown by a perforated note-plate or a noteplate provided with elevationswhich is moved over said points.

It will be understood that the reed valve is moved by a spring, which,when the lever y is in its normal position, will be under tension, andwill serve to open the reed valve when the lever y is allowed to movefrom its normal position by entering a perforation in the note-plate, orriding over an elevation, when the note-plate is provided withelevations.

According to my invention I actuate the reed valves by means of levers fhaving points a, which levers are preferably made of one piece and restdirectly and are supported upon the spring tongueb of the reed valve d,(preferably having points f which pass through apertures in the springtongue 12,) the reed valve d being held under tension by a spring c madeintegral with the spring tongue b. My preferred method of forming thesprings for the reed valve d is to stamp out and bend up a tongue as bfrom a plate CZ having also integral therewith the spring c. The reedvalves cover suitable valve seatsin the reed-box g in which are locatedthe reeds e. The points a of the levers f proj ect through apertures loin the guide-plate k. @ver these projecting points passes a note-plate mhaving perforations m of varying lengths, orelse provided withelevations (not shown).

The operation of the device is as follows: The normal position of thelevers and reed valves is shown in Fig. 4, whereinV the point aprojecting through the aperture 7c rests against the travelingnote-plate m and holds the reed valve firmly against the reed-box andthe spring c under tension. As soon as an aperture in the note-platecomes opposite the point of the lever, the tension of the spring cforces the point a through the perforation in the note-plate, raisingthe reed valve d and holding it open during the time that the aperture mis opposite the point a. This is the position of playing, and is shownclearly in Figs. 2 and 3. As a note-plate m continues to move, the edgeof the perforationm will press against the inclined face of the point aand force it down, at the same'time moving the lever f and closing thereed valve d.

I may employ points a having a variety of surfaces, two of Which areshown in Figs. 7 and 8, in order to accomplish the closing of the reedvalve d by a suitable cam action between the point ct and the edges ofthe perforations m in the note-plate.

I do not herein limit myself to the precise devices shown, as the devicemay be greatly varied by any skilled mechanic, without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-a l. In anautomatic musical instrument, the combination of a reed-valve d, aspring c for supporting the same under tension, a tongue b integral withthe spring c and bent up at an angle to the reed valve, a lever f havingone end bearing directly upon the tongue b and supported thereby andhaving its free Ico In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to thisspecification in the presence of ro two subscribing Witnesses.

FRIEDRICH ADOLF RICHTER.

Witnesses:

AUGUST MHLE, A. VOGT.

